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Hidden racetrack in Columbus?


zeitgeist57

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http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/29/video-jay-leno-recreates-cetait-un-rendez-vous-on-las/

 

As a big fan of C'etait un Rendezvous myself (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOngL0mEhgI), I liked Jay Leno's recreation recently. That got me thinking...

 

If Columbus is a halfway decent city, where is our "hidden racetrack"? I DO NOT SUPPORT DANGEROUS DRIVING, but I'm curious to see where a combo of decent asphalt ribbons lies in our fair city...

 

RULES:

1) Must be around 13 miles or less in length.

2) Cannot be more than 20 miles outside of downtown Columbus.

3) Residential neighborhoods discouraged. :)

 

Since I'm a Westsider, I've thought about starting off at Stauf's on Grandview Ave...drive down the hill, onto 670W, then immediately take the long, sweeping exit off to rt 33. Back SE on Rt. 33 (Riverside Drive) towards downtown passed police HQ left on 4th, N to 670W...onramp under Short North/Cap...315N...then I'm lost.

 

EDIT: I wish I could've seen these races...would be great to bring them back. What does downtown Columbus have to lose? http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Columbus-1985-10-06.html If anyone has an old map showing the IMSA race course here in Columbus during the 1985-1988 series, that would be killer. Looks like part of the race went down Front St. and across the Broad Street Bridge...

Edited by zeitgeist57
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]If anyone has an old map showing the IMSA race course here in Columbus during the 1985-1988 series, that would be killer. Looks like part of the race went down Front St. and across the Broad Street Bridge...

 

here ya go: the start line was up off long street near north bank park, marked in green. im not exactly sure where they cut across there. the pits are the blue, out on broad west of the river. finish line is the green line down on front street. you couldnt drive it today unless you go the wrong way down civic center drive lol.

 

http://i47.tinypic.com/5x7al3.jpg

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcMhBTTuSWg

 

check out around 3:05

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Interesting thing about that route is there would only be one cloverleaf to deal with...71N to 670W.

 

 

you could build up some serious speed coming out of there lol.

 

the turn to get 315 south to 70 east is pretty sharp too...

 

you could also do it the other way, but the road is shittier. the joints in the freeway are crap.

 

also, FWIW, this is not my creation. someone else posted about it on here a while back. but i may have used it a few times at 3 am ;)

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I prefer Starting at 270 and E Broad and heading up to 670 going west to 71 south to 70 east and back on 270 north. There are no cloverleafs and some great sweeping curves. I have never been caught pushing it around those ramps.

 

in before speed traps are set up on these routes

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Again, not that I'm promoting this idea...:)

 

...but if someone were to come up with a course, I've found that 5-7am on Sunday morning during warm months is a "dead time" in Columbus. The times I've driven around there isn't a soul on the roads. Someone could strap a camera to their front bumper and recreate rendezvous.

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Again, not that I'm promoting this idea...:)

 

...but if someone were to come up with a course, I've found that 5-7am on Sunday morning during warm months is a "dead time" in Columbus. The times I've driven around there isn't a soul on the roads. Someone could strap a camera to their front bumper and recreate rendezvous.

 

Could we then edit in Ferrari engine noises even though it's not taped with a ferrari?

 

I like the idea...have thrown around doing the downtown course backwards but being right there by the police station takes alot of fun out of it.

 

We need to find a more rural one.

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I say up north by the Zoo would be the best. You can start at the Boggie Inn towards the zoo and then take a left go out to Home RD or 42 then head back down Dublin road. I had so much fun out there when I lived on Dublin Rd next to one of the Jegs brothers. I know a lot of Bike guys drive those roads. I say I win, but not close to downtown at all. Plus it would suck if someone pulled out of their drive in front of you.
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I say up north by the Zoo would be the best. You can start at the Boggie Inn towards the zoo and then take a left go out to Home RD or 42 then head back down Dublin road. I had so much fun out there when I lived on Dublin Rd next to one of the Jegs brothers. I know a lot of Bike guys drive those roads. I say I win, but not close to downtown at all. Plus it would suck if someone pulled out of their drive in front of you.

 

I've seen your car driving down 33 outta downtown...

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I actually mapped out an interesting one the last time this topic came up, and I reworked it just now. It comes out to almost exactly five miles, offers a good variety of sharp corners, long sweepers, wide an narrow streets, and plenty of natural viewing areas and places to set up stands. Plus, it loops through the Arena District, and near the North Market and the Short North, so it would generate a huge amount of business for local restaurants, bars, and other businesses before, during, and after the race.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/GonneVille/ColumbusGP-3.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/GonneVille/ColumbusGP2-1.jpg

The route start on Nationwide going east from High, then turns North and goes north on 4th up over the bridge. It turns West up the entrance ramp onto 670W, goes under the High St and Goodale/Park St caps, then off at the Goodale exit onto Goodale St. still going west past Thurber Towers. Then it turns South across the Goodale bridge over the 670/315N ramps, and left onto Vine eastbound, back under 670 to turn north on Neil, then east again onto 670 going back east to the High St/Convention Center Dr exit. It crosses Goodale again, onto Convention Center Drive around the back of the GCCC and through railroad canyon to Kilbourne St, and back east once more on Vine St. Turning South on Front St loops the center of the course back over itself. Down Front St, then right to go West on Nationwide, and left to go South on Neil. Go left again onto Long St., left on High, and right on Nationwide going East to the start/finish line.

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here ya go: the start line was up off long street near north bank park, marked in green. im not exactly sure where they cut across there. the pits are the blue, out on broad west of the river. finish line is the green line down on front street. you couldnt drive it today unless you go the wrong way down civic center drive lol.

 

http://i47.tinypic.com/5x7al3.jpg

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcMhBTTuSWg

 

check out around 3:05

 

The city actually buried the crossover. I always thought somebody must have had a strong attitude about future races.

As zeitgeist57 said, the Town Street bridge is no more now either.

 

Mike

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http://tinyurl.com/yhb8mhu

 

Google maps link. I'd take a screenshot, but it would be too hard to see the route clearly.

 

This is the my long route. It begins where I'd normally start it. I suggest going counter-clockwise. This gives you a better view of the riverside driving. For my short route, I generally take 42 to Klondike, up to Prospect then back down 257 to 42 and home. However, if you have the time (and you pick a day/time of day with little to no traffic), you'll find a good range of driving with this route, especially the long one (which is the one I mapped out.) The northern part of the route is generally traffic and residential neighborhood free. There are some decent curves and what not. One of my favs is when you first get onto Klondike for the "screw". (You'll see. :) Think an easier Laguna.) It's no 555, but for around here (northside), it's hard to find much better.

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http://tinyurl.com/yhb8mhu

 

Google maps link. I'd take a screenshot, but it would be too hard to see the route clearly.

 

This is the my long route. It begins where I'd normally start it. I suggest going counter-clockwise. This gives you a better view of the riverside driving. For my short route, I generally take 42 to Klondike, up to Prospect then back down 257 to 42 and home. However, if you have the time (and you pick a day/time of day with little to no traffic), you'll find a good range of driving with this route, especially the long one (which is the one I mapped out.) The northern part of the route is generally traffic and residential neighborhood free. There are some decent curves and what not. One of my favs is when you first get onto Klondike for the "screw". (You'll see. :) Think an easier Laguna.) It's no 555, but for around here (northside), it's hard to find much better.

i like your taste klondike and warren road are very fun i see your supra go past my house every no and then:cool:

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i like your taste klondike and warren road are very fun i see your supra go past my house every no and then:cool:

 

Hmm. Where at do you live around here? Hopefully, I wasn't speeding/being an ass as I go by your house. :p I try to pick and choose where I haul ass. I generally don't like to do it in front of homes since I take that route a decent amount. I'm having to take littleguys wrx or the rav, now. :( Once the weather improves, we'll be heading out to start the new year of good driving with another trip out to 555 and the surrounding area. Makes Klondike and River, etc look like a walk in the park.

 

Oh, and I just realized my big route is more than 13mi. However, if you only drive 13mi of it, it qualifies. :D

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